The best British boxer ever.

England/Britain, New Zealand, Australia and the US all have some measure of argument to lay claim on Fitz - Australia perhaps has the best stake when Fitz’s true formative years and longer lasting experiences/moulding are taken into account. Otherwise, perhaps Fitz simply belongs to the world, too great a champion and too broadly experienced for any single country or empire to claim him as their own.

 

Well all these English speaking (Commonwealth) countires, particular Australia/ Oceania & New Zealan. Therefore is he not recognized as European, as Schmeling is regarded as first European world champion in Heavyweight.

But not sure if you have to be proud of whom, as he used to cheat with illegal gloves/ hand-wraps and had a crude technique.
In Middleweight could he be on the border of top 10 and as puncher even inside it, I admit. Of course was he greater than Minter by achievement, also than Froch, Haye and Frampton.

I think he could be pound for pound into the top 70, like Tszyu (also fellow Australian and Russian/ Asian), Tyson, maybe Fenech, Dempsey or La Motta.

 

But Fitz didn’t cheat with illegal hand wraps or loaded gloves. Myth. Concessions can be made for his era related technique but as a P4P’er, particularly in terms of power, Fitz is a very solid choice among the very top.

 

The first ever 3 weight World Champion. Hugely worthy of consideration.

 

Exactly. As far as ATG credentials go and calibrating same more finely in degrees, citing Bob’s status as first time 3 weight division champ cuts to the chase of the discussion perfectly. MW, HW and LH - doesn’t get any better than that.

 

1. Ted "Kid" Lewis - Won British and European Titles at every weight from Feather to Light Heavy. Went to the States and won the World Welterweight Title, holding it for four years.
2. Jimmy Wilde - When the original Boxing Hall of Fame was launched, eight Fighters were inducted, one each from the original weights. That Wilde was the choice at Flyweight says it all.
3. Joe Calzaghe - Won every one of his professional fights and only lost two as an amateur. Joe was, at times, protected and negative but when needed he was happy to go hammer and tongs with the likes of Chris Eubank and Charles Brewer as well as the big, career defining wins against Jeff Lacy, Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins.

 

Man what a great question.

I love Ken Buchanan who went down to Puerto Rico and took the title from Laugna and beat him in the rematch to prove it was no fluke.
Also beat Ortiz but Ortiz wasn't prime.
Then he went 13 rounds with what many consider the greatest Lightweight of all time-Duran which is pretty huge.
Also holds a win over Watt who was a soild fighter.
!an I'm going to have to think about this one.

 

yet jimmy warnock beat him twice (had to get that in, local guy and all that )

 

If his parents had stayed in ireland just a tiny bit longer, we'd be claiming him too . His other 11 brothers and sisters were all born in ireland

 

in fairness he took the ortiz fight at very short notice since Duran went AWOL

 

Bob Fitzsimmons appears to have the strongest case. I don't care where he moved to later. He was still born in Britain and his mother was Cornish, meaning ethnically he fits the bill, too. No man, before or since, has become THE Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight Champion of the World. It took an all-time great heavyweight to knock him off his perch at 36 and even at 39 he gave Jeffries a helluva a time in the rematch. Hell, Fitzsimmons won the light heavyweight championship at 40 and didn't relinquish it until he was 42, to a man he had already beaten beforehand. I'll take Fitzsimmons' divisional fluidity and longevity over Wilde's largely single-class, more domestic talent-laden reign.

 

Fitz was born in England without any alternative stipulations from the OP I think we can count UK born fighters as BRITISH

 

Ever seen a list that has Hatton,Benn and Nelson in the top ten all time rankings? Driscoll is in several.

 

Without criteria to the contrary from the OP, I am including all UK born fighters in the mix. When he went to the US Fitz became an American citizen,but as you know ,he was born in the UK.